Love and sex gone wrong

by Dilrukshi Handunnetti

It was to be the concert of the year. It was also meant to serve a different purpose. But Latino singing sensation Enrique Iglesias’ live performance in Colombo a fortnight ago has become a sticky point for some. It is discussed today, not for what it intended to achieve in post-war Sri Lanka – promote the island as a tourist location and a land of resilient people – or for Iglesias’ electrifying performance – but for a young woman who in her fervour decided to throw her bra at the artiste, evoking outrage among a section of the Sri Lankan public as well as the Head of State.

The bra-thrower has enraged Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena – who is just six days away from completing one year in office with many priorities still to be addressed – to propose that the local organisers of the concert should be whipped with toxic stingray tails – for organising an event that “violated the cultural mores of a country with over 2500 years of history.”

The President certainly had his supporters within the Cabinet itself. Quick to come on board was Minister S.B. Nawinna, who is in charge of cultural affairs, proposing a dose of ‘cultural policing’ of performances by ‘foreign stars.’

According to him, the best course of action, and this means preventive action (of the bra throwing kind and others), is to ensure the introduction of some ‘clearance processes’ for all foreign acts. What is not so clear is what the authorities would like to list out as possibilities: throwing lingerie, sticks, bottles or any other act that may be well beyond the control of event organizers.

Thought the ‘ clearance process’ may still remain a grey area, Minister Nawinna’s sentiments resonate with President Sirisena’s thinking as he continues to slam the organisers for violating Sri Lanka’s proud culture that discourages public displays of affection and immodest clothing.

Speaking at an awards ceremony organised by the National Crafts Council last week, President Sirisena defiantly responded to his critics by saying that he would not allow ‘Sri Lankans to walk naked.’ He was responding to some stinging comments on social media to the President’s initial remarks, dubbed by some as a form of hate speech.

The overlooked smooch

In his defence, the President has been saying that Enrique or no Enrique, he would stand by the Sri Lankan values he was raised with. “I am a villager and I was raised with some value-based judgment,’ he said at a public gathering, insisting that the event organisers owed Sri Lanka an explanation for the ‘uncultured act’ – and of course the whipping.

However, the acid comments are being viewed by some as an indirect attack on two of Sri Lanka’s much-loved cricket stars, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayewardene, two directors of the events company in question.

Young fans

While the politics of the Iglesias’ concert continues to spark headlines, the Sri Lankan youth who waited to see their pop star perform live in their city are disappointed with the turn of events – claiming that a solitary woman choosing to throw her bra at the star should have been best ignored by the country’s President and others, as that was not the most defining aspect of the concert.

‘It’s too petty an issue for a president to speak of. There are other issues such as the tax issue, for example, if we were looking into serious concerns,” said Thariq, a 19-year-old fan who joined thousands of Iglesias’ fans at the CR & FC Grounds on December 20. “It is not nice to threaten anyone with a medieval form of punishment. For weeks, we have been castigating Saudi Arabia for wanting to stone one of our house maids and calling it a barbaric form of punishment,” he said.

“It was part of the ‘Enrique mania’ and the entire crowd was drunk with the excitement of seeing their much-loved star live in concert. It was so exciting,” said Thushani (21) who attended the Latino heartthrob’s show, aptly titled ‘Love and Sex.’

“I was sweating with excitement. It was my dream to see him perform alive,” she said, a gushing defenders of the by now controversial concert, largely due to the presidential remarks. For the youth who form at least 99% of Iglesias’ audiences, he is an icon; a sex symbol and a charismatic performer who makes them go weak in their knees. And his fans speak of an ‘Iglesias’ effect’ and an ‘Iglesias mania’ – in one breath.

But the point of discussion today is the residual effect of that Iglesias’ effect, said a well-known DJ who thought the entire episode quite “comical.” Yes, it is not an everyday occurrence. I was there and a charming young fan threw her bra at the star during the performance. He deftly caught it and continued with his act. There was another young woman, who is not being spoken of, a VIP’s daughter who threw herself into Iglesias’ arms and kissed him like forbidden fruit, right there. Perhaps her ‘cultural crime’ is less because she kept her bra intact,” he said.

Icon of sensuality

Considered an icon of sensuality, Enrique Iglesias sells his Latin good looks, great physique and Latin dance movements as one package on stage. The combination of his enormous appeal and a melodious voice has turned him into a super star in his own right.

Iglesias, one of the world’s best selling artistes today and the son of Julio Iglesias –himself a living legend – has sold over 137 million records worldwide. He has over 150 Number One Hits across all of the Billboard charts and holds the record for producing 26 Number one Hits in the Spanish language.

At the live event, as part of the hefty price fans paid to gain entry to the show, a free Scotch, Cognac or beer was on offer. The availability of spirits was not raked up as an issue, either as a matter of legality or culture, but attendees said there was ‘enough to consume.’

Municipal authorities confirmed that it was not illegal as it was within a confined space and was considered ‘part of the package.’ “There were no complaints about misbehaviour due to consumption of liquor,” a police officer who was on duty on December 20 at the concert venue said.

As for the cultural concerns expressed, a senior lawyer explained that if there was a serious need to address the issue of discarding lingerie before the super star, provisions of the Vagrants Ordinance and the Penal Code relating to public indecency could have been applied.

[Sanga and Mahela clarify]

The main stakeholders of Live Events, former Cricket skippers Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayewardene, publicly tendered an apology on their Facebook accounts on December 28.

“With regards to recent reports concerning Live Events and municipal entertainment taxes, we categorically state the company remains transparent and ethical in all operations, the joint statement read.”

“Live Events will continue to ensure full compliance with all relevant tax commitments and is providing all necessary information to the Colombo Municipal Council, in order to clarify facts and the way forward. Accountability and integrity is paramount to us and we believe it to be the same for the organizers,” the cricketers who are directors of the company, said.

[A matter of Rupees and Sense]

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) on December 30 blacklisted Live Events, the entertainment company that organised the Enrique Iglesias concert in Colombo for non-payment of Rs. 29 million, due to the CMC as entertainment tax.

The company now stands charged of tax evasion from revenue made out of the local concert –part of Iglesias’ international tour titled ‘Love and Sex’– held on December 20 at the CR&FC Grounds.

The blacklisting follows the filing of action against the entertainment company own by Sri Lanka’s cricketing stars, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, by the Treasury Unit of the CMC on December 23.

The exact amount owed by way of tax amounts to Rs. 29,125,846.

Speaking to the Sunday Observer, Colombo Mayor A.J.M. Muzammil said the company was liable for legal action for evading municipal tax. According to the CMC, only Rs.6.4 million has been paid to the CMC as tax on the income from the event. “If there is a failure to settle, the company won’t be allowed any more events within the Colombo municipal area,” he said.